Saying goodbye to Carole Lerman

If you walked into the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program office in Stroudsburg on any Tuesday, one of the women you would have seen sorting through piles of paperwork would be Carole Lerman.

If you walked into the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program office in Stroudsburg on any Tuesday, one of the women you would have seen sorting through piles of paperwork would be Carole Lerman.

Carole has been a dedicated volunteer for RSVP and the heart of its volunteer tracking procedure for 18 years. She has been compiling and calculating hours for the 850 active volunteers and 80-plus partnered volunteer sites. Every Tuesday, she has spent anywhere from four to six hours making sure that every volunteer gets recognized for every hour they serve.

Merle Turitz, director of RSVP, said she was stunned when Carole came into her office and said that she would be leaving at the end of July.

"Carole is a personality. There is no one else quite like her. As tiny as she is, when she walks into a room, she is a giant and lights up the whole place. I don't really know how we will get through a Tuesday without her. I'm still in denial. She has been such a vital part of our operation and will be missed by everyone here."

Carole began her volunteer career with RSVP in 1995 and has since relocated with the office through several moves. Under the directorship of Norma Fagan, who founded the program in 1990, Carole began volunteering in the Ann Street office, and then moved to Phillips Street, in an area shared by the Office on Aging. She continued with RSVP as it relocated twice more, from a small suite on Main Street to the current larger suite in the same building.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Carole worked as an educational associate for the Brooklyn School System for 25 years. She taught remedial math until her retirement in 1979. She found it very rewarding to work with children and especially loved it when the graduates came back to visit her as young adults. After her retirement, she and her husband, Bernie, relocated to Winona Lakes to enjoy a more leisurely lifestyle. However, relaxing is not really Carole's style, so she searched out RSVP and never left.

She also joined the senior club at Winona Lakes, an RSVP station and participates in hospital visits, bulk mailings, and fundraising efforts that help essential organizations such as the Salvation Army, Bushkill Outreach and veterans groups. Carole is currently serving as the president of the group.

Carole has volunteered in a variety of ways for RSVP. For several years, she helped to register participants for the Senior Walk at the YMCA. She accompanied author and RSVP fundraiser Helen Brown as she traveled to sell her book. Together with Bernie, she volunteered for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, helping at the annual bowling tournament. On occasion, Carole would help match volunteers with exciting volunteer opportunities.

Her major contribution as a fundraiser for RSVP was organizing the Annual Recognition Luncheon Journal booklet that raised several thousands of dollars in advertising over the years.

Asked to reflect on her years at RSVP, Carole is quick to answer. "I loved it. It was very rewarding to be able to help the seniors out there. It makes you feel good to know you're helping people in need, and the need is out there."

She also made some very good friends during those years and remains friends with them to this day. Her volunteering has kept her active and involved and has added to her sense of accomplishment in her retirement years.

Carole feels it is now time to retire. She has less energy and finds it harder to get around. Arthritis limits her ability to navigate easily. What will she do in this next phase of her life? "Live, be healthy, and just enjoy."

She says she'll keep on going, trying to help people, as the need is always there. She wants to spend time with her husband, travel and go fishing. She also wants to spend time with her family. Their two daughters live in New Jersey, and four grandchildren live in other states.

She is very proud and excited because she recently became a great-grandmother and looks forward to traveling to Boston to visit this newest member of her close-knit family.

Summing up her years at RSVP, Carole says, "Being at RSVP was a great reward, because I know I was helping a lot of people. That's important. I feel that I've helped many, many people, and that's what life's about."

Merle adds, "It's Carole's time to try new things but she also knows that the door is always open for her here at RSVP. Whatever she does, she will soar. That's just who she is. We love her. Tuesdays will never be the same."

If Carole's story has inspired you to volunteer, please contact the RSVP office at 570-420-3747 and talk to Merle or Emily about the many opportunities available. Volunteering changes lives. Come be a part of the change.